Red Level’s looking forward, not backward, Tigers head football coach David Godwin said as his team gears up to take on J.F. Shields for homecoming on Friday night at Bobby Dye Stadium.

When asked if the players are sensing a win this week, Godwin said the coaches made sure to keep them focused on the road ahead.

“We talked to the players yesterday (Tuesday) and told them when you’re sitting in a car, you’ve got a rear-view mirror that’s so small and you’ve also got a wind shield that’s so big,” Godwin said. “We don’t want to spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror, but instead in the wind shield and look ahead of us.

“We’re trying not to look back, but we will look back at this season,” he said. “We feel like we were in all of the game except last week against Brantley. We had opportunities to win each and every one of those games. The goal is to try and eliminate those eliminatable mistakes. As it is, we’re where we are right now (0-4 overall). All we can do is maintain focus through the wind shield.”

J.F. Shields (1-2) has only beaten the Alabama School for the Deaf and blind this season. The Panthers’ other losses came to J.U. Blacksher and Fruitdale.

Godwin said the Panthers are loaded with big kids, especially in the front line. Terrion Simon, at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds is the main threat at fullback for JFHS.

“I have yet to see anybody tackle him one on one,” Godwin said about Simon.

A big positive this week will be that the Tigers are at full strength again for the first time since week one. AJ Nicholson is back from his two-game suspension, but Levi Horn will be held back from the game due to a back injury, which isn’t serious, Godwin said.

The RLS coach said the boys have had a great week of practice.

“We’ve gone back to the basics a little bit,” Godwin said. “It’s more like a spring training atmosphere. There’s a lot more one on one and more hitting — a more physical practice.”

With it being homecoming week, Godwin said it’s all good for the players to celebrate during the festivities, but it’s back to business when it comes to getting ready for the game.

“Our job begins down on the practice field and ends at 7 p.m. on Friday,” Godwin said.